Errata
for the W.W. Norton edition of the Aubrey/Maturin Canon
Being a collection of typos, misspellings, and minor inconsistencies in the Aubrey/Maturin novels, reported by Gunroom lissuns and compiled by Larry Breed.
Please post additional contributions and discussion to the Gunroom discussion, and include "errata" in the subject line, to help us search for your message in the archived discussions.
It is my hope that this collection will become a comprehensive record, holding both agreements and variant opinions; and that it may be helpful to editors considering future editions of the Canon.
The errata listed are those in the Norton paperbacks. Norton set their own type for the early books, but used plates from O'Brian's U.K. publisher, Collins (later HarperCollins) for the later books. It appears that Norton also corrected a few errata between printings. The notation "[also in UK1]", indicates that the erratum appears in the Collins/HarperCollins 1st edition as well. "[Agrees with UK1]" indicates that a proposed correction corresponds to UK1. "[Agrees with US1]" refers to the Lippincott first edition of Master and Commander.
"PASC" refers to "Persons, Animals, Ships and Cannon in the Aubrey-Maturin Sea Novels of Patrick O'Brian" by Anthony Gary Brown.
Beside proposed replacement text, [?] indicates a suggestion with little or no consensus behind it, which particularly warrants scrutiny. With concurrence by others, and absent serious disagreement, the [?] will eventually be removed.
Master and Commander - Post Captain - H.M.S. Surprise - The Mauritius Command - Desolation Island - The Fortune of War - The Surgeon's Mate - The Ionian Mission - Treason's Harbour - The Far Side of the World - The Reverse of the Medal - The Letter of Marque - The Thirteen Gun Salute - The Nutmeg of Consolation - The Truelove - The Wine-Dark Sea - The Commodore - The Yellow Admiral - The Hundred Days - Blue at the Mizzen - Variations among novels
Negative line numbers indicate counting up from the bottom of the page.
Master and Commander | |
| Location | Presumed Error Proposed Correct Form |
| page 29 line -11 | and be began in and he began in |
| page 57 line 7 | a heap on 'em [also in UK1] [OED does not record use of 'on' for 'of'] |
| page 72 line -6 | and 4 handed [also in UK1] at 4 handed |
| page 78 line -7 | mainsail as a mainsail [Agrees with UK1] |
| page 106 line -14 | a frigate of a ship [also in UK1] [Agrees with US1] |
| page 119 lines 9ff | [increase line spacing] |
| page 123 line -2 | the Sophie's, full allowance the Sophie's full allowance |
| page 150 line 13 | port, there Killick [also in UK1] [Agrees with US1] |
| page 187 line 2 | loooking quite happy looking quite happy |
| page 187 line 13 | 'There a hellish 'There's a hellish |
| page 193 line 3 | hocus-pocus. hocus-pocus.' |
| page 195 line -6 | how to command. how to command.' |
| page 206 line 10 | a Neopolitan snow [also in UK1] [Agrees with US1; also see Norton pages 217, 220] |
| page 352 line -1 | Babbbington Babbington |
Post Captain | |
| Location | Presumed Error Proposed Correct Form |
| page 85 line 4 | Lt us see Let us see |
| page 102 line 5 | head of us.' ahead of us.' |
| page 111 line -11 | in front of them [Agrees with 1972 Lippincott 1st American edition.] |
| page 133 lines -8, -7 | and we disabled him.' [Jack is speaking of the future: cf. page 311 line 10, "Five minutes' brisk and she strikes."] |
| page 145 line -6 | Messiers les prisonniers [Concise Oxford French Dictionary translates messier as 'keeper (of fields and vineyards), harvest-watcher'] |
| page 157 line 4 | abstracted str- / umming [bad line break] |
| page 162 line -4 | your Indiama. your Indiaman. |
| page 166 line 12 | 'your must humble 'your most humble |
| page 172 lines -12, -11 | a firm, though opulent bosom a firm though opulent bosom [or] a firm, though opulent, bosom |
| page 191 line 15 | a shifty little cove [Agrees with UK1] |
| page 193 line 8 | eight-five guineas eighty-five guineas [?] |
| page 204 line 22 | but hardly name. [also in UK1] but could hardly name. |
| page 206 line -8 | desined [OED does not list 'desine' or 'desined' as alternate spellings. On the other hand, Scriven is entitled to misspell.] |
| page 243 line -13 | flogging through the feet flogging through the fleet |
| page 259 line -11 | buckets of flush buckets of slush |
| page 262 lines 9,10 | rest of the wine Killick?' [Agrees with UK1] |
| page 262 line -11 | I said. I said, |
| page 289 line -1 | the devil suggestd the devil suggested |
| page 295 line -6 | Crinkum-cankum Crinkum-crankum |
| page 297 line 12 | night on eight bells nigh on eight bells |
| page 301 line 2 | mizzen [? single z in all other volumes (except for frontispiece figure), until BATM title] |
| page 302 lines 13,14 | the jibs of jibs the jib of jibs |
| page 316 line 3 | re-breached [also in UK1] [OED cites no instances of "breach" in the gunnery-related sense of "breech" and "breeched".] |
| page 321 line 1 | these valuable mer / chantmen these valuable mer- / chantmen |
| page 321 line 9 | on the rocks". [also in UK1] on the rocks." |
| page 326 line -10 | A gentlemen A gentleman |
| page 366 lines 3, 4 | dy'ye hear me? d'ye hear me? |
| page 366 line 16 | black the white black's the white |
| page 371 lines -16,-15 | stern to stern stem to stern |
| page 403 line -2 | a meagre heart [Agrees with UK1] |
| page 429 line -12 | He, was He was |
| page 433 line 6 | I lie alone: alone. Perhaps and I lie alone: alone. Perhaps and |
| page 461 line -19 | viz, her heart!! [In US1, Lippincott changed the Collins plate to 'viz.,'] |
| page 492 line 4 | thumbed thumped |
| page 493 line -16 | re-reaving the rigging [also in UK1] [Following the main entries, OED lists reave as also "obsolete Scottish form of rave verb, variant of reeve." But this is not the nautical reeve, so "re-reaving" is probably an error.] |
H.M.S. Surprise | |
| Location | Presumed Error Proposed Correct Form |
| after page 3 | [No dedication? also in UK1] |
| page 23 line 6 | Sir Joseph Blain [also in UK1] [cf. pages 81-87] |
| page 35 line 14 | blunt up bunt up |
| page 52 line 12 | packing his own quarterdeck pacing his own quarterdeck |
| page 85 line -14 | ... and so on and so forth. '. . . and so on and so forth. [at left margin] |
| page 85 line -5 | officers about, [align to right margin] |
| page 92 lines 13, 15 | [align left margin] |
| page 101 line 6 | leading [Agrees with UK1] |
| page 105 line -5 | seventy [Agrees with UK1] |
| page 163 line 17 | mollyhawks [also in UK1] The most common spelling today is mollymawks (TGS pages 147, 160); OED lists "mollyhawk" as a corrupt form, first appearing in the 1880's. Also mollymauks (WDS page 232) and other spellings. A common name for any of various fulmers, petrels, and albatrosses. |
| page 180 line 9 | that was the only way this was the only way |
| page 192 line -6 | his down. him down. |
| page 213 line 16 | handkershief handkerchief |
| page 240 line 1 | east of Greenwhich east of Greenwich |
| page 240 lines 5ff | [Missing paragraph; see Fontana/Collins 1976 ed.] Jack and Stourton had never met, but they knew one another by reputation. Stourton had expected a big, yellow-haired man ...[more] |
| page 246 line -2 | nanny-goat had [also in UK1] nanny-goat, had |
| page 248 line 3 | and unseeing [also in UK1] and unseen [?] |
| page 255 line 15 | 'Give it her,' [also in UK1] 'Give it here,' |
| page 260 line -18 | ninety-one degrees of latitude [also in UK1] ninety-one degrees of longitude |
| page 267 line 7 | beating WSW [also in UK1] bearing WSW |
| page 274 line 1 | latitude eighty-nine east [also in UK1] longitude eighty-nine east |
| page 287 line -8 | bear up cross ahead bear up, cross ahead |
| page 289 line -13 | by quarter of a [also in UK1] by a quarter of a |
| page 292 line 11 | headsails, "Mr Babbington, headsails. "Mr Babbington, |
| page 303 line 14 | and single and a single |
| page 304 line 1 | if we can beat [also in UK1] if we cannot beat |
| page 310 line 19 | I wonder you can tand [In Collins-Fontana paperback, 1990; correct in Norton] |
| page 315 line 17 | the line of orders echoed [Agrees with UK1] |
| page 320 line -13 | 'By God, he said, 'By God,' he said, |
| page 345 lines 12, 13 | if your man chooses to put with a blow if your man chooses to put up with a blow |
| page 354 line 11 | his chest swatched [also in UK1] [OED records no 'swatch' variant] |
| page 360 line 6 | ominus words. [also in UK1] ominous words |
| page 360 line 13 | on the intercession [Agrees with UK1] |
| page 362 line 14 | He must weight a ton. He must weigh a ton. |
| page 364 line -2 | vascular cryptograms [also in UK1] [see DI page 319] |
| page 367 line 3 | but makes the hands but it makes the hands |
| page 368 line 17 | cryptograms [also in UK1] cryptogams |
| page 377 lines 17, 18 | down to the str- / aggling [bad line break] |
The Mauritius Command | |
| Location | Presumed Error Proposed Correct Form |
| page 19 line -19 | Do you not spent Do you not spend |
| page 50 line 2 | train of though train of thought |
| page 55 line -8 | eights eighths |
| page 90 line 10 | Sir Joseph Blain [also in UK1] [cf HMSS pages 81-87] |
| page 169 line -4 | symptons symptoms |
| page 182 line 6 | ovecome overcome |
| page 190 line 8 | helebore hellebore |
| page 194 line 3 | double-breached [also in UK1] double-breeched [?] |
| page 217 line 5 | latitude [also in UK1] longitude |
| page 344 line -8 | Guidhall Guildhall |
Desolation Island | |
| Location | Presumed Error Proposed Correct Form |
| page 39 line 4 | soundrel scoundrel |
| page 45 line -5 | 'I bet your pardon?' 'I beg your pardon?' |
| page 60 line -9 | transportion of convicts transportation of convicts |
| page 61 line -2 | a friendly cheer?' a friendly cheer.' |
| page 87 line 18 | at twice or twice |
| page 88 line -8 | bed or roses bed of roses |
| page 89 line -3 | carotty [also in UK1] carroty |
| page 111 line 13 | shrill flightly morbid ring shrill slightly morbid ring |
| page 116 line -5 | longitude [also in UK1] latitude |
| page 117 line 16 | the desk was priddied the deck was priddied |
| page 127 line 15 | George will be breached [also in UK1] George will be breeched [?] |
| page 146 line 1 | 12'30° [also in UK1] 12°30' |
| page 178 lines -4, -3 | [Herapath's reply is missing:] [Stein & Day first American edition, p 150.] |
| page 188 line 12 | beyond the garden. beyond the garden.' |
| page 191 line -14 | 'If you were 'if you were |
| page 277 line -16 | extraoardinary extraordinary |
| page 287 line -17, -16 | tardig- / rades, tardi- / grades, |
| page 295 line 2 | Why he not seen this Why had he not seen this |
| page 308 line -14 | if we are to operate. if we are to operate.' |
| page 319 line -7 | cryptomgrams [Agrees with UK1] |
| page 321 line -6 | offical official |
The Fortune of War | |
| Location | Presumed Error Proposed Correct Form |
| page 8 line -4 | duresn't [Also in UK1] [The OED lists none of these; but Google shows many instances in British dialect speech of dursn't and dursent, and none of duresn't.] |
| page 26 lines -9, -8 | Fre- / nch [bad line break] |
| page 48 line -8 | square-ribbed [Agrees with UK1] |
| page 64 line 3 | admist amidst |
| page 75 line 7 | frigates', said Yorke. [cf. line 14] |
| page 110 line 5 | One bell stuck One bell struck |
| page 149 line 20 | a very clever fellow . . . a very clever fellow . . .' |
| page 248 line 9 | Breuguet Breguet |
| page 256 line -9 | Mrs Villier's rooms Mrs Villiers's rooms |
| page 264 line -12 | so see what the angle to see what the angle |
| page 276 line -13 | close-hauled at it would lie close-hauled as it would lie |
The Surgeon's Mate | |
| Location | Presumed Error Proposed Correct Form |
| page 14 line 14 | improvized [No z variant in OED] |
| page 63 line 1 | bawling through the door.' bawling through the door. |
| page 69 line -13 | By my dear But my dear |
| page 80 line -17 | Atfection Affection |
| page 94 line 12 | beating to / the eastward day and night beating to / the southwestward day and night |
| page 96 line 2 | headed south and west headed east |
| page 106 line -8 | And iron hoop An iron hoop |
| page 113 line -18 | the Porstmouth coach the Portsmouth coach |
| page 116 line -13 | in the second drawer her saw in the second drawer he saw |
| page 168 line 15 | out of the window.' out of the window. |
| page 189 line 17 | qBuarterdeck quarterdeck |
| page 200 line 11 | Jagiello, breaking off.' Jagiello, breaking off. |
| page 205 line -10 | upon her.' upon her. |
| page 212 line -4 | one of them.' one of them. |
| page 254 line -17 | not to obviously not too obviously |
| page 296 line -2 | They pursued The pursued |
| page 328 line -8 | very low indeed.' very low indeed. |
The Ionian Mission | |
| Location | Presumed Error Proposed Correct Form |
| page 7 line -1 | all proper ackowledgements all proper acknowledgements |
| page 77 line 18 | the dark red and broad straw hats [word missing after 'red'?] |
| page 107 line -4 | irascibility.' irascibility. |
| page 141 line -13 | Flat in forward. there.' Flat in forward, there.' |
| page 188 line -5 | in / order not to evade in / order to evade |
| page 192 line 12 | were to be obeyed were not to be obeyed |
| page 230 line 18 | It had not been It had been |
| page 243 line 18 | let along a bosun let alone a bosun |
| page 247 line -14 | cump-winches pump-winches [?] |
| page 250 line 14 | of the hurricane waters or the hurricane waters |
| page 257 line 8 | When "When |
| page 301 line -12 | for the occasion 'he is for the occasion, 'he is |
| page 310 line 17 | breeches in the wall breaches in the wall [?] |
| page 317 line -19 | and so on the sea-shore and so on on the sea-shore |
| page 357 line 5 | sail-trimmer sail-trimmers |
Treason's Harbour | |
| Location | Presumed Error Proposed Correct Form |
| page 19 line 6 | ask soon as as soon as |
| page 24 line -17 | collar of steel spokes [cf. page 38 line 10] |
| page 26 line 8 | Pezophaps solitarious [see SM pages 155-157] |
| page 28 line -2 | as graceful as writhe as graceful a writhe |
| page 29 line 6 | Dr Maturing Dr Maturin |
| page 33 line 1 | workd work |
| page 35 line -1 | therefore before them there before them |
| page 42 line -16 | a piractical directness a piratical directness [?] |
| page 50 line -15 | Aubrey deal with the situation Aubrey dealt with the situation |
| page 85 line -7 | its probably ingredients its probable ingredients |
| page 86 line -1 | She put took the decanter [has she already poured?] |
| page 112 line -11 | he came face to face with Edward Calamy [Peter Calamy is the son of Edward Calamy, a deceased shipmate of Jack's] |
| page 119 line -8 | he did not suppose than he did not suppose that |
| page 137 line -16 | clean- / sing [bad line break] |
| page 179 line 1 | set of offi / cers set of offi- / cers |
| page 183 line 8 | said Jack. said Jack, [?] |
| page 212 line 7 | crisp against crisp again |
| page 219 line -16 | 'Which as Bir Hafsa?' 'Which was Bir Hafsa?' |
| page 249 line -3 | an abrupt half an abrupt halt |
| page 250 line 5 | 'I rely on your entirely,' 'I rely on you entirely,' |
| page 277 line 17 | for the moment for the moment. |
| page 284 line 8 | fortresss fortress |
| page 287 line -9 | he is aboards us he is aboard us |
| page 304 line 10 | charged ot give you charged to give you |
| page 323 line -12 | the Surprise the Surprise, |
The Far Side of the World | |
| Location | Presumed Error Proposed Correct Form |
| page 31 line 3 | military fever miliary fever |
| page 46 line 20 | long leave of absence a long leave of absence [?] |
| page 47 lines 20, 21 | pas- / sed [bad line break] |
| page 69 line -13 | post-admiral [cf. line -6 and page 75 line 14] |
| page 71 line 18 | with this chaplain with his chaplain [?] |
| page 78 line 10 | "Well, Killick," he say to me "Well, Killick," he says to me |
| page 80 line 18 | he contended himself [OED shows no variant spelling for "contented"] |
| page 89 line 11 | "There she blows". "There she blows." [?] |
| page 108 line -5 | a pleasant contended look a pleasant contented look |
| page 125 line -9 | But listen, James Mowett, [Mowett's first name is usually William. See Mowett entry in the Muster Book.] |
| page 127 line 1 | of God love his soul oh God love his soul |
| page 127 line -5 | would have seen a superior acrosticmonger would have been a superior acrosticmonger |
| page 141 line 1 | west latitude [printing 1-3] [or] west longtitude [printing 5 & onward] west longitude |
| page 164 line 5 | Theshing about [OED: earlier form of "Thrashing"] |
| page 169 line -7 | get out some shores get out some stores |
| page 176 line 13 | he as as eager [corrected in the 4th or 5th printing] |
| page 180 line -8 | mallemawks Other spellings are: mollymawk (TGS pages 147, 160); mollymauk (WDS page 232); and mollyhawk (HMSS page 163) which the OED calls a corrupt form, first appearing in the 1880's. A common name for any of various fulmers, petrels, and albatrosses. |
| page 237 line -11 | I not like to I do not like to |
| page 260 line 15 | obliged to forego obliged to forgo |
| page 273 line 5 | tatooing [cf. page 268 line 9] |
| page 348 line 13 | the more peacable men the more peaceable men |
| page 363 line 4 | Jack felt reasonable confident Jack felt reasonably confident |
The Reverse of the Medal | |
| Location | Presumed Error Proposed Correct Form |
| page 57 line 5,6 | 'Why, James Mowett, my dear,' said Stephen, [Mowett's first name is usually William. See Mowett entry in the Muster Book.] |
| page 58 line -9 | would By J. M., of the Royal Navy look better? [UK1 has W. M.; mis-corrected to J. M. in later printings. See Mowett entry in the Muster Book.] |
| page 70 line -10 | harasss harass |
| page 83 line 9 | following the old days following the old ways |
| page 87 line -14 | starboard bow. starboard bow.' |
| page 127 line -10 | when it was to be put right when it has to be put right |
| page 182 line 18 | Bray [see page 183 lines 14, -14 and DI page 8 line -5] |
| page 204 line 4 | H also knew He also knew |
| page 224 line 10 | Mr Goodridge, how do you so, sir? Mr Goodridge, how do you do, sir? |
The Letter of Marque | |
| Location | Presumed Error Proposed Correct Form |
| page 52 line -1 | by way of gratification allowed by way of gratification, allowed |
| page 57 lines -17,-16 | his old shipmate James Mowett [Mowett's first name is usually William. See Mowett entry in the Muster Book.] |
| page 68 line 16 | in all direction, in all directions, |
| page 82 line -18 | the ladies are creating something cruel [?] |
| page 116 line -3 | blue Peter [see MC page 292 line -7, PC page 281 line -17, SM page 71 line -1] |
| page 117 line -13 | I kept some for you. I kept some for you.' |
| page 122 line 16 | Mongolfier Montgolfier |
| page 136 line -10 | lighthouse was much lighthouse, was much |
| page 159 line -7 | a sixty-drops a day man a sixty-drops-a-day man |
| page 162 line -15 | but Stephen, But Stephen, |
| page 197 line 11 | 'Mr Bentley,' he said to the carpenter See page 191 line -3 |
| page 235 line 1 | I / would have spared me It / would have spared me |
| page 239 line -13 | There was a a vast expanse There was a vast expanse |
| page 272 line -18 | wth streams with streams |
The Thirteen Gun Salute | |
| Location | Presumed Error Proposed Correct Form |
| page 42 line -2 | mariners". mariners." |
| page 108 line 8 | Admiral Pellow's flag-lieutenant [also in UK1]. Admiral Pellew's flag-lieutenant. |
| page 147 line 8 | latitude longitude |
| page 149 line 19 | belfrey [OED: no "belfrey" since 16thC] |
| page 178 line -18 | eleven bells in the forenoon watch [possible POB nod for six bells, 11:00AM, or seven bells, 11:30AM; only other possibility is presence of a US rear admiral (lower)] |
| page 203 lines 3-5 | 'Pedok and datang for the first two,' [For the first and third, since strontium is the second?] |
| page 292 line -1 | the False Fortunas See pages 266, 267. Error in Fontana paperback and in Norton paperback before 4th printing; Norton hardback, and HarperCollins, are corrected. |
| page 292 line 14 | Jolly Roger. Jolly Roger.' |
| page 313 line -6 | clear that by now none of the seamen clear by now that none of the seamen [?] |
The Nutmeg of Consolation | |
| Location | Presumed Error Proposed Correct Form |
| page 29 line 2 | Batavia. Batavia.' |
| page 104 line 16 | D'ye here, there? D'ye hear, there? |
| page 109 line 3 | a heavy sailor a heavy sailer |
The Truelove | |
| Location | Presumed Error Proposed Correct Form |
| page 221 line -4 | accomplished. accomplished.' |
The Wine-Dark Sea | |
| Location | Presumed Error Proposed Correct Form |
| page 9 line 7 | Salee rovers Sallee rovers |
| page 15 line 11 | latitude 28°31S latitude 28°31'S [?] |
| page 15 line 18 | Anamooka [cf. "Annamooka" in TT] |
| page 19 line 20 | turn of phrase or of particular felicity [word(s) missing?] |
| page 45 line 9 | because she was now wiser? because she was no wiser? |
| page 53 line 20 | even greater dliberation even greater deliberation |
| page 86 lines -16, -15 | amounts, provenence and rates of exchange amounts, provenance and rates of exchange |
| page 86 line -10 | The murmur, the remarkably strong murmer The murmur, the remarkably strong murmur |
| page 94 line -17 | on to the quarterdeck.' on to the quarterdeck. |
| page 98 line 7 | the little figures The little figures |
| page 102 line 15 | 'Thank you kindly, your honour ,' 'Thank you kindly, your honour,' |
| page 106 line 12 | strike and like to strike and lie to |
| page 128 line -16 | Dear Marturin, Dear Maturin, |
| page 129 line -12 | Prudent, no doubt in a country Prudent, no doubt, in a country |
| page 129 line -11 | it left to be desired. it left much to be desired. |
| page 161 line 5 | corruscation of green light coruscation of green light |
| page 172 line 5 | Father Panda'. Father Panda' — [?] |
| page 204 line 12 | partirdge partridge |
| page 209 line 2, 3 | mes- / sages.' mes- / sages. |
| page 209 line 7 | I must forego the pleasure [cf. TC page 18 line -2] |
| page 211 line -3, -2 | the exact dissec / ton of a vicuña the exact dissec / tion of a vicuña |
| page 229 line 2 | capabarre [cf. "capperbar" in IM] |
The Commodore | |
| Location | Presumed Error Proposed Correct Form |
| page 47 line 21 | equipped. equipped.' |
| page 57 line 17 | up the ladder into the left up the ladder into the loft |
| page 59 line -3 | 'I now nothing about them, Mama.' 'I know nothing about them, Mama.' |
| page 112 line -4 | this will not occur again. This will not occur again. |
| page 145 line 20 | well and happy?' Kindly used by Fortune?' well and happy? Kindly used by Fortune?' |
| page 154 line -8 | Stephen's spirits and the perception, [words missing or incorrect?] |
| page 155 line 20 | nothing over the quarterdeck nodding over the quarterdeck [?] |
| page 164 line 2, 3 | jeal / ously jeal / ousy |
| page 189 line -7 | He is an imposter He is an impostor |
| page 199 line -13 | they was how many they saw how many |
| page 211 line -9 | unknown larbowlings unknown larbowlines |
| page 238 line 16 | a Roman fetiso a Roman fetish [?] |
| page 243 lines 20, 21 | seventy leag- / ues [bad line break] |
| page 248 line 1 | a horrid case of Corsica a horrid case on Corsica [?] |
| -- | |
The Yellow Admiral | |
| Location | Presumed Error Proposed Correct Form |
| page 20 line 10 | governess she governess, she |
| page 76 line 10, 11 | [early morning stars] due west, with Venus declining. [Predawn, Venus appears only in the east.] |
| page 102 line 1 | look upon / as self-seeking hard-hearted wretches look upon / us as self-seeking hard-hearted wretches |
| page 109 line 1 | I my youth In my youth |
| page 146 line 1 | steerage-way and the Captain steerage-way the Captain |
| page 189 line 19 | a whole band or screeching of peacocks ["Screeching" is not a collective noun. "Screech" is, but only for gulls; peacocks can be a muster, pride, or ostentation.] |
| page 200 line 13 | pomp-mutton pomp — mutton |
| page 200 line -13 | much out of the way with the Admiral [colon, semicolon, dash, or full stop] |
| page 211 line -19 | your own dear Surprise [Doesn't Jack own the Surprise by now?] |
| page 253 line 1 | 'Yes. In Royal Sovereign. 'Yes. In Royal Sovereign.' |
| page 256 line -1 | her people were right seaman her people were right seamen |
The Hundred Days | |
| Location | Presumed Error Proposed Correct Form |
| page 2 line 16 | Dover ... Ganymede. Dover .. Ganymede. [is duplication O'Brian's or typesetter's?] |
| page 264 line -15 | quite impossible would expose her quite impossible: would expose her [?] |
| page 275 line 1 | 'You shall share 'you shall share |
Blue at the Mizzen | |
| Location | Presumed Error Proposed Correct Form |
| throughout | Mr., Mrs., Dr. Mr, Mrs, Dr in all other books |
| page 121 line -3 | reinforced by own fear reinforced by my own fear |
| page 237 line -13 | to the Atlantic coast in only a moderate day's ride to the Atlantic coast is only a moderate day's ride |
| page 238 line 7 | chipping the iron off chipping the rust off [?] |
Variations among novelsSpellings consistent within a book, but varying from those in other books. | |
| M&C, PC, HMSS, FoW, TGS pp 25, 172, WDS pp 28, 146, THD | Bonaparte or Bonapartist |
| vs | |
| TMC, DI, SM, IM, TH, FSoW, TGS pp 79, 111, 160, 191, TL, WDS p 2, 146, Com | Buonaparte or Buonapartist |
| YA | Barrett Bonden |
| vs | |
| Others | Barret Bonden |
| PC, TMC, IM, TH, FSoW, RotM, TGS pp 9, 50, NoC | Davis |
| vs | |
| M&C, TGS pp 26, 34, 55, 66, TT, WDS, TCom | Davies |
| FSoW p 176 | Doodle |
| vs | |
| HMSS, TH, FSoW p 30 | Doudle |
| HMSS [early editions and printings] | Goliah |
| vs | |
| [some later editions and printings] | Goliath Goliah and Goliath are perfectly good alternatives of the same ancient name, and both forms are seen as ship names in contemporary naval records. The biblical Goliath is referred to elsewhere in the Canon in that form, and other HMS Goliaths also appear with that spelling. It is likely that in the original HMSS, POB preferred the Goliah form, which a later editor 'corrected', not knowing of the variant forms.AGB email 10/24/06 |
| HMSS p 371, 373 | Johnstone |
| vs | |
| DI p 11 and later | Johnson |
| IM pp 352-365 | Kitabi |
| vs | |
| TH p 9 | Katibi |
| TH, FSoW, TGS | weather-gage |
| vs | |
| [where?] | weather-gauge |
| [in list preceding title page] M&C, PC, TMC, DI, FoW, SM, IM, TH, FSoW, RotM, LoM, TGS, NoC, TL, TCom | Treason's Harbor |
| vs | |
| HMSS, WDS, YA, THD, BatM | Treason's Harbour |
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